Description
When exposed to a DC electric pulse, giant vesicles made of bilayer membranes adopt peculiar drum-like shapes and may collapse. We present experimental results and theoretical model suggesting that the edge separates porated (conducting) and intact (insulating) regions of the membrane. The time dependence of the edge location can serve as a quick method to estimate the critical voltage for membrane poration. Electrohydrodynamic analysis of the deformation and collapse dynamics provides a novel means to measure the membrane viscosity. In the case of multicomponent membranes, the miscibility temperature (at which domains form in an initially homogeneous membrane) decreases with applied electric field strength.
Recommended Citation
Vlahovska, P. (2014). Electric-field-driven deformation, poration, and phase separation in biomimetic membranes. In A. Bajaj, P. Zavattieri, M. Koslowski, & T. Siegmund (Eds.). Proceedings of the Society of Engineering Science 51st Annual Technical Meeting, October 1-3, 2014 , West Lafayette: Purdue University Libraries Scholarly Publishing Services, 2014. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/ses2014/mms/mmm/15
Electric-field-driven deformation, poration, and phase separation in biomimetic membranes
When exposed to a DC electric pulse, giant vesicles made of bilayer membranes adopt peculiar drum-like shapes and may collapse. We present experimental results and theoretical model suggesting that the edge separates porated (conducting) and intact (insulating) regions of the membrane. The time dependence of the edge location can serve as a quick method to estimate the critical voltage for membrane poration. Electrohydrodynamic analysis of the deformation and collapse dynamics provides a novel means to measure the membrane viscosity. In the case of multicomponent membranes, the miscibility temperature (at which domains form in an initially homogeneous membrane) decreases with applied electric field strength.